About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

Weekly Roundup : March 6, 2016

March 6, 2016 Updated on September 15, 2023 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Hello from Mumbai, where we are breaking into March 2016.

It has been a week catching up on a lot of loyalty program changes apart from new stuff that has been coming up about Jet Airways and Vistara.

Here is hoping you will find the posts useful.

Less than a month before Jet Airways flies to Amsterdam

March 2, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 5 Comments

Jet Airways will be moving operations from Brussels to Amsterdam at the end of March 2016, when the summer 2016 schedule gets underway. This move solves a lot of problems for Jet Airways and also opens a new city for Jet Airways.

Here are all the details of the new route and how it will work for Jet Airways’ European operations here on.

Jet Airways moving Mumbai operations to Terminal 2 in March 2016

March 1, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 4 Comments

Mumbai is finally getting ready for an integrated terminal in Mumbai Terminal 2. Jet Airways is going to start all their domestic operations at Terminal 2, after Air India already did so last year.

Check in for all the details you would need to know about Jet Airways’ move to Terminal 2.

Air India extending miles validity till June 2016

March 1, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 1 Comment

Air India Flying Returns is in the midst of a big restructuring exercise. They are making sure you are not inconvenienced by their clean up act, and hence they are extending the validity of your miles.

Check in to find out how to use your miles by June 2016!

I just cancelled an Etihad Apartments award!

February 29, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 5 Comments

Sometimes it isn’t meant to be. I usually would do everything possible to make this one work, but can’t seem to this one time!

Damn! I hope someone can make this flight for me!

Vistara to reconfigure in favour of economy seats

February 29, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Vistara is currently in the process of a reconfiguration of their 9 aircraft, where they will reduce the number of premium seats they have to add more economy seats, to be in line with “market demands”

Find inside how they are progressing on this initiative and others…

Citi Prestige benefits changing w.e.f. April 2016

February 28, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 11 Comments

Citi Prestige is lining up new annual benefits from April 1, 2016. Some of the benefits going away are the 15% discount on F & J Class tickets and some hotel discounts.

Check in here to see more details, and to make them work before the date.

JetPrivilege adjusts its partner award chart (mostly) upwards

February 26, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 9 Comments

JetPrivilege has 30 partner airlines around the world where you can redeem your JPMiles, and now they are giving us advance notice of how we will need more miles as of April 1, 2016 for most of these redemptions.

Check-in to find out more details and act to use the old award chart.

Air India launching Delhi–Vienna route on 787s

February 24, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay Leave A Comment

Air India is going to launch another new route to Vienna from Delhi as of April 2016. This comes in the wake of Austrian Airlines deciding to suspend service to this route.

Inside are all the details of the new route.

Will the government consider privatizing Air India?

February 23, 2016 Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ajay 2 Comments

There is further chatter about Air India being considered for privatisation one more time. Is this elephant going to be kicked out of the room this time or not, let us figure it out.